Errea Cup: Ilfracombe 0-1 Eastleigh

ILFRACOMBE TOWN 0-1 EASTLEIGH

WEDNESDAY 15th JULY 2009
Errea South West Cup Group A

Report by Ray Murphy

Eastleigh opened their defence of the ERREA South West Cup with this single goal victory at the picturesque home of South West Peninsula League (two divisions below Wessex League status) side Appledore; against Toolstation Western League Premier Division (equivalent to Wessex League) side Ilfracombe Town.

Eastleigh manager Ian Baird started the fixture with normal understudy goalkeeper Gareth Howells, trialists Michael Green and Carl Preston whilst Andy Forbes continued his rehabilitation from an Achilles injury.

Early chances were limited though Eastleigh held the upper hand of possession against an Ilfracombe side that had already played one game in the three-team group, suffering a 1-4 defeat against Exeter City. The first chance fell in the eleventh minute when Green’s left wing cross saw Forbes' header hit the bar.

Eastleigh were unable to penetrate a solid looking Ilfracombe defence and the Devon side themselves created no chances to bring Howells into serious action. Ilfracombe’s first attempt on goal came on twenty-six minutes and that only saw Lee Langmead scuff a shot from the edge of the box wide of the target.

Four minutes later Howells did have work to do saving a free kick from Ricky Marinaro. Eastleigh scored the all-important goal four minutes before the interval. With the rules of the competition allowing for forty minute equal halves, thirty six minutes had been played when good work again on the left by Green saw his cross half cleared allowing Forbes to head the ball back across the goal for Tony Taggart to fire home.

Eastleigh almost increased their lead two minutes later as Ilfracombe again struggled to clear the ball from the area Taggart shot goalwards that brought a good save from Ilfracombe goalkeeper Steve Oliver. A minute later Brett Poate sent a corner into the box that Forbes volleyed just over the bar. As the half time whistle was just about to be blown, the Ilfracombe side had another half chance when Marinaro dragged a shot from the edge of the box wide of the target.

Three minutes into the second period Ilfracombe had an excellent chance to equalise. It brought a superb stop from Howells to push a half volley from Shaun Lewis over the bar, then from the resultant Marinaro corner, Neil Bettis headed wide.

Forbes headed a Poate cross over the bar on fifty two minutes whilst five minutes later Langmead slid a ball across the face of the Eastleigh goal inside the six yard area that no one managed to apply a finishing touch too.

The final two chances of the match fell for Eastleigh. Aaron Martin headed a corner back across goal for Danny Smith to fire over whilst Richard Gillespie was put through on his own only to shoot tamely at the goalkeeper Oliver.

So Eastleigh held on to this slender one goal victory and now face Exeter City in the final group game, the winners of which will progress into the semi finals. The man of the match award, given by members of the Devon County F A was to Eastleigh trialist Carl Preston.

Unfortunately for Eastleigh their scheduled match against Exeter city was postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch at Bideford which handed Exeter City a place in the semi final as they had beaten Ilfracombe Town 4-1 earlier in the week so Eastleigh made their trip back home having played just the one fixture.